Warrior
by lizzy5757
Summary: Suze is famous (Demi Lovato) Not great at summaries but Suze has been attacked in a way that could change how she views relationships forever. Will Jesse be able to break down her walls or will Suze shut out the love of her life forever? (JS)
1. Chapter 1

Suze's POV: Basement; Somewhere in New York

"No! Please! Stop! Please!"

I don't care about the fact that I sound desperate because, quite frankly, I am! This man whom I thought was my friend is ready to kill me. But he seems to have a reason not to kill me. That doesn't mean he won't. Oh no. He just wants something from me before he does; something, which I am not ready to give away. Oh right. You probably don't know who I am. Well, I am Susannah Simon, a sixteen year-old girl and an emerging singer/dancer of New York. But everyone just calls me Suze. I have a secret, one I can't tell anybody about. When I tell people about my secret, they get hurt.

"Aw, Susie? You want me to stop? But where's the fun in that?"

I'll just back up a bit. I was walking home from dance practice, where I was doing some freestyling with my crew, all sweaty and aching from the massive workout today was, when hands grabbed me from behind and dragged me into an empty parking lot save the van we were heading to. I tried to scream bloody murder but it is unusually hard to do when beefy hands hauling you by the shoulders are dragging your ass across gravel. The sound that emerged from my mouth did me no justice and ended up just earning me a kick in the ribs. I don't think he broke anything but he definitely left me bruised. After he kicked me everything went quite except the weird noise coming from somewhere near me. It sounded like a chocked gasp. With a jolt, I realized the sound was coming from me! The attacker picked me up and threw me into the van and though I couldn't see anything I could still tell it was a man. I mean, he was really strong and his hands were much too big to be feminine. I heard rummaging and then felt a damp cloth being pressed to my mouth. Was it a handkerchief? I suddenly felt a lurch in my stomach and a few seconds later, I crumpled to the ground, passed out.

When I woke up it was to a face I never expected to see.

"Paul? What are you doing here? We have to go! NOW! There's someone here. They grabbed me off the street… Where are we anyway? Where is the person who took me? And how did you know I was here? Is anyone else coming? Did you send the police? Is the person who took me gone? Am I safe? Are we trapped down here? Are there stairs? And where is my mum? She said she was going to come over to my home to give me my birthday present… Is she okay? Did she get taken too? Is she here as well? Why aren't you answering me, Paul? What's the matter with…? NO! No, no, no, No, NO! I trusted you! You can't be the one who did this! Why would you do this? What possible reason could you have to take me here in this place that smells like stale piss and where there's no light?"

"Whoa! Slow down on the twenty questions, pumpkin. After all, we don't want people hearing you, do we?"

He smiled this sickly sweet smile that made me question his sanity. Then I remembered what was happening and didn't even have to question it. He's gone round the bend! He is so not the same person I met at New York Hotel last week! And he has this look in his eyes. Like he's hungry. For what, let's just say if it's for the thing I'm thinking of, he's going to get a fist sandwich! Only, it seems my hands are tied up to something above my head. Um, okay, not to worry. I can still kick, can't I? Oh my god, he's tied me down to a bed! My feet have been tied to a post!

"Paul, please! I don't know what you're thinking of doing but please don't! I'm begging you! Please! PLEASE!"

I was past hysterical at this point. I was losing it, and real fast.

Oh, but Suze, don't you understand? The more you beg, the more you receive. And I think you know what I'm talking about, Suze. After all, thirty years in prison and I'm out, I need somebody to use. And guess what? You won! You should be proud. After all, I only go for the pretty ones."

And that's when everything became a blur.

I screamed harder than I've ever screamed before. Paul lunged and jabbed his knee in between my thighs. I cried out. He kicked my ribs. I thrashed around. He slapped me. I spat in his face. He pulled at my clothes. I combined all of the above. He grabbed a pocketknife from somewhere in his pocket. I bawled my eyes out. He sliced at my face. I screamed so loud I think I burst my eardrum. I felt him invade me and screamed all the more for it when I heard a door slam open. Paul moved off and out of me and made a run for it. I was aching all over but I saw a figure coming closer to me. I was so drained all I could manage was a whisper.

"No. Please. No more."

The figure came closer and one thought flittered through my mind. I said that word with as much strength as I could muster and then passed out for the second time that day.

"Slater."

(AN: Plz R&R)

Will update soon. Really soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys, i realised i forgot to put a disclaimer so

Disclaimer: Own none of the characters (belong to Meg Cabot)

Please read!

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Jesse's POV: Car; Carmel, North California

I love my sisters. I really do. It's just, sometimes when your sisters are constantly changing the radio system to which one they each prefer, it gets a little annoying. Like right now for instance.

"Marta, get your hands off the radio! You know I hate it when you change it! That goes for you too Josefina. Mercedes, stop with the window already! Mapi, sit back in your seat! Carmen, I'm warning you! Nombre de Dios! Can't I drive in peace?"

"Jesse!" Carmen whined. " Suze was said on the radio this morning to be reportedly missing. Meaning someone's kidnapped her! We have to find out all we can to see if she is all right!"

Now this was something new. "What," I asked, "Are you talking about?"

"Its true!" Josefina joined. "It's all over the news. She was last seen leaving dance class. Her mum had dropped over to her apartment to wish her happy birthday when she noticed Suze wasn't there. She called everyone Suze knew and then finally called the police. Nothing else has been released but police suspect it was a kidnapper who took her. There was a rapist who was in prison for thirty years because of the charges pressed against him when he was 16 who was released last week and though he was sentenced to being followed by federal agent officers at all times he could have made quick work with them. So we have to find out who was involved and what exactly happened! Now do you see why we're so frantic, Jesse?"

Mercedes gasped. "Oh, that's horrible! Imagine being kidnapped on your birthday! Infierno de mierda! Ese hijo de puta va a pagar!"

"Mercedes! I will tell Madre if you keep that up! Do not say such things in front of Mapi!" I hissed.

"Okay, okay. But it totally is true. I mean, that…man, will pay! When the police catch him they'll send him to 10 life sentences so he won't ever leave that living hell."

I shook my head. Sometimes my sisters seem to just sit around and talk about "Suze" all week. She isn't even that well known in most areas but my family loves her. Anyway, you're probably wondering who I am. Well, my name is Hector de Silva but everyone just calls me Jesse, I am seventeen years old and am in Senior Year at the Mission Academy.

Static plays, and then, "Suze Simon has just been found in a basement barely-clothed, bloody, bruised and unconscious. The hospital has confirmed the teen pop star is in a coma and has sustained many broken bones including a shattered ribcage and several fractures in her thigh, cheek and back. She also had been sexually violated. She is in a mild state but won't be leaving the hospital for a whole month. The man who found her was walking past the building at the time when he heard screams coming from inside. He says the door was unlocked and that when he reached Susannah she was still conscious. He says that before Susannah fell unconscious she spoke one word. "Slater." If anyone has any info on her case call…"

Oh…My…God! Carmen cried. "Poor Suze! She's in a coma! On her birthday! And what does Slater mean? Or is it a name? Jesse! We have to get to a computer! Now!"

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Review?


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys! If you are reading this!

AHHH! i didn't expect people to read this seeing as this is my first fanfic but i have my first reviewer!

Thank you so much **Danny-jdb-Brooks!**

anyways, on with the story.

please review!

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Suze's POV: Rehab Clinic; Brooklyn, New York (Song By Demi Lovato)

"She will be alright. I admit her recovery rate is much faster than any of us expected or could have hoped for. At the rate she's going, she will wake up before the end of today. I mean, most people would have to wait 4 weeks to wake and practice exercises for her leg. But, as I said before, her recovery rate is impossibly fast so she will be out of this hospital by…hmm…perhaps the day after tomorrow? The day after that?"

I opened my eyes slightly but quickly closed them. The lights were so bright! There are only two places I can be right now. First, heaven, but if I were in heaven I would hope I didn't carry this huge headache so that rules that option out so my only other option could be… The Hospital. I absolutely hate hospitals. I have nightmares about them. That is how much I hate them. And I'm in here for what, exactly? And how long have I been here?

All of a sudden the memories whizzed through my mind like a movie on fast forward, pausing on the worst parts, the parts that terrified me the most. I jumped up into a sitting position and opened my eyes. I was panicking, hysteria edging into my system, making my nerves frazzled. Where is Paul? And who saved me? And what does everyone else think happened? My mum who was seated beside me holding my hand let go in surprise. Obviously, she did not think I was awake.

"How long have I been out of it?" I asked her. I didn't bother with greeting her. My voice was hoarse from not using it and I got a good idea just how long I'd been out of it.

"Two weeks, sweetie" my mum told me, blinking away tears. I knew it must have been horrible, thinking I was unconscious and not knowing if I would wake up.

"Susie, what happened?" she asked, concern evident in her voice as well as her eyes. I tried to come up with a response but I couldn't.

How could I tell my mother that someone whom I thought was my friend had kidnapped her daughter and raped her? How could I tell her that the reason I was there was because I was too weak to fight off Paul? I couldn't. I didn't want her to know what had happened. I wasn't going to tell her. But that question… she asked it too soon. The shock hadn't worn off yet. The fact that I had lost my virtue to Paul Slater was devastating. I think that was when I cracked. The next few weeks passed by in minutes. I didn't speak to anyone. Not even my best friend Gina, whom I had been friends with since Kindi. I just couldn't talk. I couldn't find my voice. The doctors thought I might have been traumatized and made me stay at the hospital for longer than planned. I was destroyed on the inside yet on the outside I was emotionless. Every night I cried silently, trying to think how everything had gone wrong. How even though I didn't have much of a life back then, I had everything I could have wanted. I guess that was when I started singing.

I sung every song I had ever heard. All the songs I could remember. I sung the songs my dad sung to me when I was upset before he died. I sung the songs I learnt at school. I sung the songs that were played on the radio. But most importantly, I sung my songs. The songs I hadn't been able to publish because they were thought to be too deep for people to listen to.

My mother sent in psychiatrist after psychiatrist, trying to coax me into revealing what happened to me. But I knew it wasn't possible. I had been so weak as to let myself get into this mess. I was so confused. But then one day I was presented with a psychiatrist named Josephina de Silva. She was the only one who got me. She talked to me all day, only leaving me to go to the bathroom or to get some food for us both. She made jokes and even though I couldn't laugh, I knew she knew I enjoyed them. Then one day she surprised me. She told me her whole family was a big fan of mine and that she loved working with me. I was so touched. Not the part about her family being fans of mine, though that helped my ego a little. No, I was touched by the fact that she said she worked **_with_** **_me_**. Not **_on_** **_me_** like a science experiment. And I believed her. So she put down a piece of paper in front of me and gave me a pen and told me that I could write a song about what happened to me. I was about to protest somehow but what she said next stopped me in my tracks.

"Please Suze! It doesn't have to show anything that happened. It could be just to inspire kids who have gone through what you went through. To make other kids come out of their shells and start living again! Show whoever did this to you that you were stronger than 'that someone' expected and that you will live your life no matter what happened that night. Just think about it, Suze! Please?

Don't think of me as weak. 'Cause I totally wasn't! I just really wanted to do as the good doctor said and inspire kids to start living. I mean, the thought that people go through this everyday is just devastating and I want to write a song to make them open up again. Josie, as I like to call her in my head, helped me write this song whenever I got a mind blank which didn't happen very often. Most times I write some garbage that my producer says people will love but writing about what happened to me just made me spill words out. Like word vomit. Every time I looked out the window I'd find something to add to the song and write it down. Also, Josie was helping me find my voice. We did exercises where she'd say something to me, repeat it slower, and then wait. I managed to sound out part of the words she spoke before my voice deflated and refused to come out. But I was getting there. By now all the news channels had my story on their show talking about how I was found and how I've gone mute. But Josie and me were determined to finish the song. We're not there yet but we've gotten a lot done these past weeks and this is the result.

_Verse 1: This is a the story that I've I have never told_

_I can't I've got to get this off my chest to let it go_

_I've come to I need to take back the light inside you stole_

_You're a criminal_

_I'll take everything you took and you steal like you're a pro_

_All the pain and the truth_

_I wear like a battle wound_

_So ashamed, so confused_

_I was broken and bruised_

_Chorus: But Now I'm a warrior_

_Now I've got thicker skin_

_I'm a warrior_

_And I'm stronger than I've ever been_

_And my armor_

_Is made of steel, you can't get in_

_I'm a warrior_

_And you can never hurt me again_

_Bridge: There's a part of me I can't get back_

_A little girl grew up too fast_

_All it took was once; I'll never be the same_

_I'm taking back my life today_

_Nothing more left that you can say_

_Cause you were never gonna take the blame anyway_

_Chorus repeat 2x_

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Sorry this chap moved way fast but you'll get over it

Review?

Also, i think the chapter order is mixed up but if it isnt ignore me.

ciao

Lov Lizzy!


	4. Chapter 4

Hey, its LIZZY!

Lov u guys! i have a new reviewer!

Thank you so much **HauntedGirl!**

Please Read and Review?

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Jesse's POV: Home; De Silva Ranch, North California

(Static radio)… "Suze Simon has recovered well from the sexual attack she endured last month. Paul Slater, a man who when 16 years old, raped three 15 year old girls, was sentenced to jail for thirty years and was released a week before Suze was attacked. He was to have federal agent officers follow him everywhere he went but when we came to question him on the attack of Suze Simon we found them piled up in a cupboard in his apartment. Paul Slater has been arrested because the evidence was stacked against him. The building Suze was found in belonged to the Slater family, Suze's last word was Slater, the DNA left from the violation he did matched his own and his history all point towards him. Thankfully he won't be let out of jail again. Suze Simon is still having trouble finding her voice but with the help of a psychiatrist named Josefina, she is writing a new song to inspire people who have gone through what she went through to come out of their shells. This is a recording of Suze speaking to us earlier today."

"Josie?... What… do I… say?"

"Come on Suze! Introduce your new song you're writing!"

My car swerved on the road. Nombre de Dios! My sister is helping Suze Simon! I thought the name could be a coincidence but that voice I would recognize anywhere! And now I think about it, she did say she was going to help someone over in New York. Hmm.

"Um… Its called… w-wa-w-w"

"What would you like to say to Paul Slater if he was watching right now?"

(Silence)

"Um okay Suze you go write down what's wrong and I'll meet you there in a second, ok? Oh, and the song's called Warrior. Now skedaddle or I'll have to get a restraining order. Hahaha, just kidding. But you really have to move it. I need to work with Suze here. We're hitting a rough patch. Shoo!"

So that was what Suze sounded like. I don't think she's really that much better but at least she can talk a little. I should call Josie. I should!

(Bring, bring)

"Hello?"

"Josie?"

"Oh. Hey Jesse. What's up?"

"I just heard you on the radio. With Suze! How's it going? Is she all right? Will she be ok? Do you know what happened yet? What's her song like? Has she sung it yet? Or is it still being written? Is it about Paul? That piece of scum! Or is it about her? Did she write it this time? Or did a producer write it for her?"

"Slow down Vaquero! Yeah I'm working with her. It's going great. She's fine but a bit rusty. She will be able to say full sentences any day now hopefully. She is really determined to speak. She won't go into what happened but it's pretty obvious. Her song's awesome. She can sing way better than she can talk but we can't get through it all in one go though. Yet. It's finished. Um, it doesn't mention Paul in it but it's partly directed at him. Yes, we both agree Paul is scum. It's about her as well. She wrote it all with a bit of help from me. No producer in sight. Anymore questions?"

"Yes. Is she there with you? Have the doctors been nice? Did they do a CT test? Did they make sure there was no internal bleeding? Has she started the walking exercises for her leg?"

"Sorry Suze, he's into medical stuff."

In that second I heard something so amazing it lightened my soul. Suze was singing one of my favorite songs. Fire in the water BY FEIST. It doesn't really have that many lyrics but it's incredible anyway. She hummed the musical parts when there were no lyrics and it sounded amazing.

"Okay I'm back. Um, yes she is here."

"Suze have the doctors been nice?" I heard murmuring in the background. Then, "She says she hates them with a passion."

Don't worry Suze. They were freakishly smiley today. Its like they already calculated the amount of money they can get from helping you. Oh wait! They have! Hahaha!"

I heard just then a musical sound. It was beautiful and tinkling and… oh my god, it was Suze laughing! Who knew someone's laugh could sound so beautiful? I laughed back, dryly.

"What is a CT test? No internal bleeding diagnosed. And yes, she's doing them now."

I hoped she didn't hate all doctors. "A CT scan is Computerized Tomography. It's a head scan. I heard she had a deep head wound. I have to go now Josie. When will you be coming back to California? Will you make it by Christmas?"

"Um, I think I can make Christmas." (Muffled talking) Oh, and I want you to be the first to know but you can't tell anyone okay?"

"Josie? What is it?"

"Promise?"

"Josie, you know I wouldn't tell anyone if you asked me to. I wouldn't betray your trust like that. Ever. But I promise anyway."

(Muffled talking) "Yeah, my dad brought him up to be a 'Gentleman'! Hahaha! But he really is serious. (More muffled talking) Okay. Jesse? You still there?

I rolled my eyes, realized she couldn't see me and said, "I'm rolling my eyes. Yes I'm here!"

"Okay, well, Suze's mum thinks it would be good if Suze came back to Carmel with me. So I could keep helping her. Her mum's bought that house that used to be a boarding house for her. Isn't that awesome? Also, her mum married that guy, Handy Andy and was planning on moving there anyway.

Nombre de Dios. Susannah Simon was going to be coming to Carmel! Here! But…"What school will she be going to?"

"The Mission of course! And because I'm out of school, I get paid to go there with her! To redo grade 11! And…"

"Josie! Stop talking for a second. I know you're excited about schoolwork and all that jazz but I really have to go. Papa has just come outside. He needs help taking the horses to the shed. Bye! Love you!"

"Love you too Jesse! Bye!"

I hung up. Papa didn't really need my help. I just couldn't stand to talk to her when I knew Suze was coming down here for Christmas. I had to get out of here!

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I have 4 tests this week so i might not update till next week but till then, as Jesse would say back home,

ADIOS AMIGOS/AMIGAS!

CIAO


	5. Chapter 5

**Hiya!**

**So i've had way more people checking out my story than i expected but i swear this story is just the beginning. There will be drama and friendships and maybe a little bit of love too. Oh, and of course some battles with the undead. Just to clear everything up, Suze can see ghosts, she just hasn't met any significant ghosts yet. I'm kind of worried this story is moving too fast but i'm just really excited to finish my first fanfic. Plz review!**

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Suze's POV: Rehab; Brooklyn, New York

I heard Josie talking to her brother in California while I was on the treadmill walking and doing my exercises. I was singing one of my all-time favorite songs. You know, those songs that you wish you had written before they did? Yeah well, Feist is incredible. Anyway, apparently her brother had heard the interview fail of today and was asking why Josie didn't tell him she was working with me. I only heard her side of the conversation so it was confusing but I could imagine what was being said on the other side.

Although I couldn't make out the words, I heard a deep voice that was like silk. It had a hint of Spaniard in it like Josie but his was more pronounced. His voice had me swooning but I held my ground. So what if his voice was deep and soft and quiet and concerned and Spanish and irresistible and… snap out of it Suze! He's your psychiatrist's brother! For god's sake! Shut up!

I was listening to her side of the conversation when she brought up the word vaquero. "What does vaquero mean?" I asked her softly, not wanting her brother hearing me. She put her hand over the phone. "Vaquero means Cowboy." She grinned evilly and I smiled back. She was the only one who could make me smile. She was just so much like me that I couldn't help being friends with her. She put her hand on the phone again. "He wants to know how you are." I replied that I was fine but a little rusty so she repeated that into the phone. My throat was burning from talking but I would talk if I needed to.

I heard her brother speak much louder than before, "Paul? That piece of scum!" I nodded my head wildly, agreeing with that statement. This guy was being really nice. He wasn't mentioning my muteness or anything. He seemed genuinely concerned about me! She told me her brother was into medical stuff and asked me if the doctors we're being nice and if they gave me a CT test. I replied that I hated the doctors with a passion. She said something about the doctors here, that was both rude and hilarious but the expression on her face was what made me laugh. Really loudly! I clapped my hands over my mouth and looked around, worried someone was going to kick me out. I mean, when you are recovering from some injury or other you don't want to stress people out by being loud. I saw some man who had lost his leg in the war who was working on walking with his metal replacement flinch, but other than that nothing else seemed to happen.

Josie said that her brother asked if she was going to make Christmas and asked if that was okay. I told her as soon as I am out of here and have packed all my stuff then we can leave. She looked worried for a second but I reminded her that I wasn't going to be in hospital for that much longer. She smiled and I told her to tell her brother that I'll be coming up with her. She made him promise not to tell before she said anything and he sounded so sincere that I asked if he was serious or if he was trying to win the "Prince Charming Award" at the Grammies. She told me he was being serious and that her dad was really into bringing him up as a "Gentleman". I told her to tell Jesse already 'cause we probably already lost him by now. She was laughing at him once she hung up but I didn't hear the joke.

"Jesse is a little preoccupied playing "The Lone Cowboy" at home!"

"What? You mean you have horses where you live?"

"Well, duh! I live on my family's ranch!"

"Ranch? Oh my god! How do you say oh my god in Spanish?"

"Nombre de Dios. Kinda. Anyways, I can't wait until you meet everyone! I have four sisters: Marta, Mercedes, Carmen and Mapi. Oh, and of course there's Hector but he'll probably be with Maria while we're there."

"What about Jesse? And is Maria Hector's lover?" I couldn't really hide the disappointment from my voice. I didn't like the sound of this Maria.

"Oh right. Jesse is Hector's nickname. He hates the name Hector so we just don't call him that. Except for Papa of course. He hates nicknames. Oh, and Hardly! Jesse has to marry the girl. She's a total bitch. My father arranged the marriage with her father so they could earn more money or something like that. Jesse… dislikes Maria but he is trying to hide that from her. Apparently there have been rumors that she has been seeing a man named Felix Diego. Eww!"

"So doesn't Jesse get a say in it at all? He's a bit young to get married, isn't he? And what's wrong with Diego?"

"Well, Simon, Diego just so happens to be a slave runner. An illegal one at that. He's greedy and everything he does has to benefit him in some way. Maria is rich, so its pretty obvious why Felix would go after her. Felix Diego is a very bad man, and I hope you don't have to meet him whilst you stay with us. Jesse always tries to please Papa so obviously he wouldn't say anything about the rumors. And Papa wants him to be married just out of school when he's nineteen. Then Jesse will take over the ranch."

"Oh."

"Yeah… Oh."

"But doesn't Jesse want to get a job? Doesn't he want to go to college?"

"Well, actually, he doesn't say anything about that sort of stuff. But I think if he could he would be a doctor. He's really good at that sort of stuff."

"Poor Jesse."

"Yeah. But you get to meet him soon!"

"Yay!"

I wasn't sure if I wanted to meet this Jesse. I feel like I've invaded his privacy or something. And I'm sure he would see it like that too. But I just had to put a face to that voice! I bet he's hot! No, Suze! You can't lose your cool over some guy! Get it together! Where is an ice bath when you need one?

"Josie! EEK! They're RELEASING Me? OMG! Lets go!"

"Uh, Suze? We have to pack. And buy tickets. And tell Madre we're coming now. And get dinner. And…"

"Okay, okay, so we have a lot to do. Can we just leave this damn rehab hospital?"

"Yeah, yeah. Working on it."

I called my mum and told her that I was released and that I was coming home.

"Do you know the number to call a cab? Never mind, I'll ask reception."

So once we'd gotten the number off the receptionist and called a cab, I was dropped off at home and sent to go eat dinner, have a shower and pack my bags. Because I'll be moving there permanently, mum will send all the rest of my stuff up later in the week.

I felt bad that as soon as I got out of hospital I was leaving her but she told me it was fine and that she'd be there on New Years Eve. Of course, she could've come with me now but her career wants to hold her back till New Year.

I left home in my denim jeans that were ratty with holes in the knees, my black silk tee and my black leather motorcycle jacket. What? I wanted to be comfortable while on the plane. And I certainly wasn't about to wear a skirt. No way! Not after what happened. Oh god. Out of rehab for fifteen minutes and I'm already thinking about it? Jeez, this is going to be a long summer.

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cya


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I know you guys wanted a longer chapter but I couldn't do anything about this. Sorry! Hey Danny-JB-Brooks thanks so much from now on I'll try to make the chaps longer but they'll take longer to update seeing as I have exams everywhere! Anyways, plz review peoples!

Anyway, just in case you guys forgot

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. The characters belong to Meg Cabot and the songs belong to Demi Lovato.

Still Suze's POV: Carmel, California

Oh my god! California is gorgeous. I'm sitting on the plane, listening to some crappy artist rapping about fish, when I look out the window and see… PALM TREES! I mean, I knew there were palm trees in South California. God, I'm not a complete moron, but this is NORTH California. I didn't expect there to be palm trees up here. At least, not after mom warned me not to throw my sweaters away. So here I am, in my leather jacket and I'm thinking, "Great, leather jackets and palm trees. Yep, I'm fitting in just fine." God, just kill me now. I got off the plane, expecting there to be paparazzi flocking around, shoving people to get a good photo of me, but saw no one there. So Jesse had kept his promise after all. I spotted Josie a few yards away from me, and began walking towards her, seeing her talk to my new stepdad and stepbrothers. I was still a while off when I looked around and saw a girl beckoning me towards her. I looked back at my family, to check they hadn't noticed me, and walked slowly towards her. I still had my back facing her though, my eyes locked on my family, when I ran into someone and knocked them down.

"Ouch! Oh god, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" I asked the guy I had walked into. I turned around and offered the person a hand. He took it and stood up.

"Yeah, I think I'm all good, are you alright, miss?" the guy asked. I removed my hand from his and looked up, just to have my breath taken away seconds later. My, my, was he gorgeous! He was wearing dark, fitted jeans and a red dress shirt with its sleeves rolled up just below his elbows and a few buttons undone exposing what looked like a very well built chest. Not that I was peeking or anything, but this guy had a six-pack! Then I looked up at his face. He had chocolate-coloured orbs that I could see forever into for eyes that were nearly as dark as the pupil, dark brown hair that curled rebelliously at the nape of his neck, a straight nose, clear skin and a slight stubble. All in all, he looked fit for a Hollywood movie whereas I… well; I looked like I'd just been run over by a train. I then realized he must have asked me something from the expectant expression he had on and said oh-so-smartly, "Huh?"

Thankfully he just laughed and said, "I asked if you were alright. My name is Jesse. You are?"

"Oh, right, my name's Suze." I replied. His voice had a slight accent, maybe Spanish?

"Sooze? Is that short for something?" He looked adorably confused so I decided to help him out.

"Yeah, Susannah as in "Don't you cry for me?"

He laughed, "I know the song."

"Anyways, I have to go… Bye Jesse, it was nice meeting you but I really have to jet."

The girl who had beckoned to me before saw I was caught up in conversation and decided to come over. Before I couldn't really notice it but now she had come out of her corner I could see a distinctive glow around her. Of course, Jesse didn't see her. Only I saw her.

After all, only I see…

The DEAD.


End file.
